Yarn smoothing apparatus and method



March 16, 1948. A. A. wobn 3 Q YARN SIOOTHING APPARATUS AND METHOD Q Filed Apri1 15, 194s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Patented Mar. 16, 1948 YARN SMOOTH'ING APPARATUS AND METHOD Allison Allen Wood. Lanett, Ala.

Application April 15, 1946, Serial No. 662,238-

4Clalms. l

The instant invention relates to the app tion of size to warp yarns and is more particularly concerned with novel means for obviatin the formation of outwardly projecting fibers on the size-treated strands.

Heretofore, in the sizing of yarns, it has been customary to feed a plurality of continuously moving strands of yarnfrom a source of supply, such as a section beam, to a size box containing he sizing composition. After passing through the sizing composition, the moving strands, which may comprise as many as 2400 filaments or ends, are fed to the slasher provided with a plurality of drier rolls or cylinders. The sized strands as they move to the drier rolls are separated and apportioned to the individual rolls. Thus, assuming that 2400 unit strands or ends leave the size box and that the slasher has six drying cylinders or rolls, four hundred strands.

would pass over each roll. After leaving the drier rolls the moving dried sized strands are delivered by guide rolls to a single outlet. The serious objection to this prior practice has been that when the dried strands are separated, small fibers are found to be projecting outwardly from the respective strands. The instant invention is directed to the elimination of this objectionable feature by means of a plurality of rolls having a series of laterally spaced grooves in a manner to be described more in detail hereinafter, and illustrated in the appended drawings to which referonce is now made, and in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the size box, the slasher frame and its drier rolls;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of a roller having a series of laterally spaced circumferential grooves hereinafter designated as a buster r011;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the sized strands being separated and passing over pairs of "buster rolls;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a sized strand prior to passage over a buster roll;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a sized strand after passage over the first of a pair of buster" rolls; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 showing the sized strand after passage over the pair of buster rolls.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character B designates the size box through which passes the continuously travelling mass or sheet of individual strands of yarn in from a plurality of section beams (not shown). The mass of 2 strands pass over a rotating idler roll Ii positioned above the cover l2 of the size box B. and then through an opening l3 in the cover l2. Size box B, as shown. is what is known as the V-type and is characterized by having a bird cage immerslon roll l4 therewithin at the apex of the roll I! and I8, respectively, cooperating therewith. It will now be seen that the mass of strands l0 move from the section beams over rotating idler r011 ll through opening l3 in the cover l2 of the size box B, into the size composition, over the bird cage immersion roll M, then out of the size and between driven copper rolls l5 and I8 and their cooperating squeeze rolls l1 and I 8, then over an idler roll l9, and through opening I3 in the size box and over another idler roll IS. The mass or sheet of sized strands I 0 now move over a pair of cooperating directional rollers 20, 20, at which point the strands are equally divided into two masses I0 and I0, mass In passing over roller 2| and mass Ill over roller 22. Each mass of strands Ill or l0", as it leaves rollers 2| or 22, respectively, is separated into lndividual strands to pass over a pair of similar spaced buster rollers 23, 24. By reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that there are twelve pairs of such rollers and by reference to Fig, 2, it will be noted that each roller has a series of laterally spaced circumferential grooves 25, with each groove receiving a. single strand of yarn, so that the total number of grooves in all the twelve pairs or twenty-four buster rolls is equal to twice the total number of strands of yarn. It will also be seen that each pair of "buster rolls 23, 24 is arranged in different horizontal planes so that each yarn strand takes a horizontally staggered path as it passes between the buster rolls. The

latter are driven in the direction of the travel of i the yarn strands at a much higher speed than the strands move. Each stran has free fibers pointing in the direction of travel of the yarn and as each strand passes over a pair of "buster rolls, both the top and bottom halves of the strand is smoothed, one roll smoothing the bottom half and the other roll the top half of the strand. The grooves inhibit rolling or crawling of the strands. Fig. 4 shows a strand of yarn in section prior to passing over a "buster" roll; Fig. 5; after the lower half has been smoothed 3 by a "buster" roll, and Fig, 6, aiter both halves have been so treated.

From the pairs of "buster" rolls 2!, 2i, the individual strands oi the continuously moving yarn passes to a plurality of spaced drying cylinders or rolls 28, which are also circumferentially grooved, with each drier'groove receiving a strand from acorresponding groove in its "buster" rolls. The drying cylinders 28 are mounted for rotation in a slasher frame 21, twelve drying cylinders being shown. Assuming that 4800 strands of yarn leave the size box B, these will be divided into two batches of 2400 strands as they leave directional rollers 20, 20', and pass over rollers 2| and 22. Each mass In and Ill oi 2400 strands is now divided into six batches of 400 strands each, sothat each 01' the cooperating "buster" rolls has 400 grooves and each drying cylinder 28 also possesses 400 grooves. Each strand of yarn is accordingly now smooth and dry and rod-like with the fibers firmly smoothed down against the body or the strand. After leaving the driers 26 all the strands are reunited at 28 and fed to the slasher head and loom beam. When the strands treated as herein described are separated in the loom, it will be found that no loose fibers stick out or project i from each strand.

From the above, it will be apparent that the objects 01' the invention have been attained. Various changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art. and it is contemplated to cover all such and to be limited in this respect only as may be necessary by the scope of the claims heretoappended.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for sizing a sheet of yarn strands comprising a size box, means for continuously moving the sheet of strands through size in the box, means for separating the sheet or sized strands into equally divided masses. rolls for separating the masses into strands and for smoothing each strand, and means for drying the smoothed strands.

2. The structure of claim 1, each of said rolls being circumferentially grooved.

3. The structure of claim 1, each of said rolls having a plurality of laterally spaced circumferential grooves.

4. Apparatus for sizing a sheet of yarn strands comprising a size-containing box having immerslon and feed rolls, said strands continuously moving over said immersion and feed rolls, other rolls for separating said sheet of sized yarn into equally divided masses, a plurality of pairs 01 spaced buster rolls over which, said masses are separated into sized strands, each buster" r011 having a plurality of laterally spaced circumferential grooves, the total number of grooves in all of said pairs of "buster" rolls being equal to the totalnumber or yarn strands being sized, one groove of each pair of buster" rolls smoothing the top half of a sized strand and a groove in the other of each pair of "buster rolls smoothing the bottom half of the same strand, and a plurality of drying rolls drying the smoothed sized strands.

ALLlSON ALLEN WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES ramn'rs Number Name Date 972,760 Fredenburgh Oct. 11, 1910 2,224,665 Bradshaw et al Dec. 10, 1940 2,235,221 Lance Mar. 18, 1941 2,402,653 Clark June 25, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 574,448 Germany Apr, 13, 1933 

